Del Toro protégé to helm 'Hater'

Guillermo del Toro protégé Juan Antonio Bayona has signed up to direct Hater for Universal.

Based on British author David Moody's thriller novel, Hater centres on ordinary people lashing out in random acts of violence.

Del Toro, who worked with Bayona on Spanish-language horror The Orphanage, will produce. The Shield's Glen Mazzara adapted the book for the screen.

Bayona told Variety: "I like the idea of a movie that talks about the state of fear we live in nowadays."